Fire after Drone Strikes Chernobyl Reactor – Ukraine and Russia Trade Blame

A drone crashed into the protective sarcophagus of Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on February 14, reigniting fears of nuclear instability as Russia and Ukraine traded blame.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that a Russian drone carrying a high-explosive warhead hit the protective structure covering the destroyed Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The explosion occurred at approximately 01:50 local time, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team stationed at the site confirming they heard a blast from the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure. The attack sparked a fire, but emergency crews quickly brought it under control. Ukrainian officials reported no immediate radiation leaks, with monitoring systems showing normal background levels.

Zelensky denounced the strike, stressing that the NSC was built through international cooperation to contain radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Calling the attack a threat to global security, he stated, “The world must not ignore this.”

The IAEA confirmed the incident, with Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi warning of escalating risks to nuclear safety amid the ongoing conflict. A statement from the IAEA acknowledged the attack but did not attribute responsibility.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed allegations that Russia had targeted nuclear facilities, calling them a Ukrainian provocation.

"There can be no talk of strikes being carried out on any nuclear infrastructure facilities, nuclear energy infrastructure. Therefore, any assertions that this was the case do not correspond to reality," he said.

He further described the claims as "yet another provocation and manipulation by the Ukrainian authorities."

Russian officials labeled the incident a provocation ahead of the Munich Conference.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia had launched more than 100 drones across the country overnight, striking multiple regions.

In response, Russian officials accused Ukraine of shelling a thermal power plant near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, leaving thousands without electricity.

The attack on Chernobyl follows recent discussions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding potential negotiations to end the war. However, Zelensky asserted that Russia’s actions show no indication of de-escalation.

Chernobyl, near Ukraine’s border with Belarus, was seized by Russian forces in the early days of the invasion but later abandoned. The site remains under strict monitoring due to lingering radiation from the 1986 disaster.